


Security Detail

by FaerieChild



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-17
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-09-09 01:28:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8870458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaerieChild/pseuds/FaerieChild
Summary: Modern AU. Single father and war veteran Jaime Lannister has recently acquired custody of his children. Two years after serving together, Jaime and Brienne meet again when Brienne is hired by Jaime's father as the new security detail.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Apart from joining in with a Round Robin on the boards, this is my first fic in this fandom. I may continue this universe, but I don't have as much time as I would like for writing and I have other things I need to work on but I thought I would post what I have written so far. Hope you enjoy.

Myrcella was still getting used to her new home, but she knew her father kept spare hand soap in here somewhere. The medicine cabinet had painkillers and the first aid kit and spare heads for his razors. Myrcella tried under the sink and found a tube of toothpaste and a box of sanitary pads.

 

Half an hour later Myrcella was downstairs in the kitchen eating breakfast. Her father drank a cup of black coffee – no cream or sugar – and tried to make conversation.

 

Tommen was sitting in front of his cartoons in the living room, the sound of the television travelling through.

 

“Did you find everything you need?” Jaime asked her.

 

Myrcella looked at her father.

 

“Yes, Dad.”

 

“You look upset. What is it?”

 

“Uncle Jaime…”

 

“You only call me Uncle Jaime when you’re upset, you know,” Jaime said, gesturing with his stump to make his point. “You’re at a new school. No one knows. Tell who you want, don’t tell who you want. It’s up to you. You can call me what you like.”

 

Myrcella stared at her breakfast. She poked it with her spoon. “You put sanitary pads under the sink.”

 

Jaime’s cup paused in his left hand halfway to his mouth. “Did I buy the wrong brand?”

 

Myrcella continued staring sullenly at the table.

 

“Is this where you tell me you’re using tampons because no matter what your mother says, you are definitely too young to be using tampons.”

 

“I’m not using tampons,” Myrcella grumbled.

 

“Ah, I see. You’re embarrassed. Your father, who is also your uncle and slept with your mother for twenty years has acquired custody; you just started a new school where every person you meet is potentially going to judge you and you’re worried because I might occasionally be seen in the feminine hygiene aisle of the supermarket,” Jaime nodded solemnly. “On the grand scale, I can see how that might trouble you.”

 

“Shut up,” Myrcella grumbled.

 

“You should eat some of that, you know,” Jaime pointed his stump at her cereal bowl and pushed himself off the counter. He walked past her, caressing her head with his stump arm and kissing her on the head as he headed towards the living room and Tommen. “Come on, Son, time to get dressed.”

 

“I’m hungry.”

 

“You’ve had cereal and toast and a banana. You’ve had more breakfast than I have, you can’t possibly be hungry. Now lets go upstairs and get you dressed, huh? We have to leave in twenty minutes.”

 

~

 

Brienne couldn’t help but notice it. For the second day in a row, Jaime Lannister had walked in grinning from ear to ear, whistling a tune more in the manner of his younger brother than the serious  faced Jaime.

 

He collected his mail, said hello to the secretaries and made his way through to the corner office where Brienne was waiting for him. “Cersei?” Brienne inquired by way of a greeting.

 

“Brienne!” Jaime put down his things and grinned at her ear to ear. “To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?”

 

Brienne rolled her eyes. “It’s not unexpected. Your father has instructed us to meet to go over your security arrangements.”

 

“Right,” Jaime nodded. That explained why she was in his office for a second day running. He remembered being blindsided by her appearance yesterday, hugging her and then fobbing her off with a promise to meet again soon. “What were you saying when I came in?”

 

“I was wondering if your good mood was because of your sister. Cersei, Sir.”

 

Jaime paused to stare at Brienne, trying to work out why she was here. Security detail, his father had said. As if he needed security, being himself a former US Marine but his father insisted. “I’m no longer in a relationship with Cersei.” He kept staring. They had served in Iraq together, two years previously. She had been there when he lost his hand. Colonel Jaime Lannister, son of General Tywin Lannister, detained by an Islamist group determined to prove a point while making vague references to Sharia Law when it suited them to do so. Jaime knew the type, in truth more interested in their own power trip than adhering to any religious absolutes. “I’m not with Cersei anymore. Did you get a brief?”

 

“Your father didn’t just hire me because of my reputation. He also hired me because I know your particular family circumstances, Colonel Lannister.”

 

“I took medical retirement, Brienne. You can call me Jaime.”

 

“Of course, Sir.”

 

Jaime rolled his eyes. “As of six months ago I am no longer in a relationship with my sister. Cersei has been detained in a mental health facility charged with…well I’m sure you read about it.” Jaime’s laugh was bitter and full of sorrow.

 

“No,” Brienne shook her head. “Your father asked me to take charge of the security of yourself and his two surviving grandchildren. If you’ll recall we were supposed to discuss this yesterday but-”

 

“I apologise for yesterday. I wasn’t expecting to see you.” Jaime winced to think of his curt manner, ushering her to the door even as the warm words fell from his lips, how wonderful it was to see her and they should really catch up sometime. “Well, at least now I get to see the children more. Tommen still wants to spend the whole day in his pyjamas and Myrcella is embarrassed at her old man knowing she’s old enough to have womens problems.”

 

Brienne had had this whole meeting planned. A briefing, questions, the beginnings of a plan. A structured security programme she would hand tailor to her charge’s lifestyle and requirements. Establishing the circumstances of the children was crucial. Brienne was one of only a handful of people in the world who knew their true parentage, such was the bond between fellow captives, sharing titbits of their lives they’d never told a soul but didn’t want to die without letting someone know. “What are the arrangements for Cersei’s children. Who has guardianship. I imagine your father wanted that.”

 

“No one has guardianship, they live with their father,” Jaime said simply.

 

Brienne stared. “But-”

 

Jaime looked out of the window. “On the condition that I get appropriate therapy. Cersei’s lawyer wanted her to say our relationship was non-consensual if it would stop me getting them, but the court knew better than that. I suppose a lot of incest is but Cersei put paid to that particular fallacy when she kept insisting to her trial judge that we were meant to be together. Her behaviour in court was…erratic. They deemed her unfit to stand trial.”

 

“You seem different.”

 

“I am different,” Jaime shrugged and then grinned. “This morning, Tommen…” He stopped and shook his head. “I guess you had to be there.”

 

Brienne’s face was unmoved. She reminded herself once more that no matter how good he looked, how well he brushed up, this was a job. “I am uneasy at them attending school before we have had an opportunity to go over their security arrangements.”

 

“Brienne,” Jaime turned to look her in the eye. “My father hired you to do a job, I understand that. I have been denied the right to be a father to my children all their lives. Do you really think I would put them in danger now?”

 

“I have a job to do, Sir.”

 

Jaime sighed heavily. “I’ll be spending the day at the office here. God knows why because when my stump hurts my dyslexia gets worse. They don’t tell you that, you know. Some days I can barely read my memos.” He paused and took a step towards her. “Come round for dinner tonight. I’ll introduce you.”

 

“I…I couldn’t.”

 

“You’ll need to review the house, no doubt. Suggest additions. Improvements. Blind spots.”

 

Brienne frowned at Jaime. Colonel Jaime Lannister had not gotten to his rank by being an idiot. If he didn’t know every entrance, weakness and blind spot in his own house Brienne was a simpleton.

 

“Come on, you always did have different insights. Me and my one hand will put together some dinner. Tommen will go to bed and Myrcella will watch television and we can talk about old times while you berate me for buying a house with a back porch that gives such easy access to the Master bedroom.”

 

Brienne did not smile, but her eyes lightened somewhat which Jaime knew was the next best thing. He held his hands up, “I haven’t been murdered in my sleep yet. It’s good to see you, Brienne.”

 

“Thank you, Sir.”

 

“Jaime,” Jaime corrected.

 

“Jaime,” Brienne agreed.

 

Jaime smiled at her. He could see the rest of the office giving him peculiar looks through the window, but he didn’t care. Brienne was an old friend, they had been through hell together and he had forgotten how much he missed her company. He hadn’t seen her, in fact, since the day they landed back on US soil. “Want to pick me up? I finish work at five.”

 

“Unfortunately I have business across town so unless there’s something wrong with the bulletproof chaufeur-driven company car your father makes your ride in, Jaime, I think you’ll be safe enough getting home. I’ll meet you there at seven.”

 

That wasn’t why Jaime had asked and truthfully, his face fell slightly at her rebuttal. She had always been a stickler for staying focused, getting the job done. Jaime liked the Brienne best who kicked back at the end of the day with a beer. Or, more often, root beer. Brienne had never been a big consumer of alcohol but then the same could be said of himself. It wasn’t the only thing they had in common, Jaime thought, as he met her eye to eye. “Better make it six thirty. Tommen’s got an early bed time.”

 

~

 

That evening Myrcella was waiting with the minder Tywin Lannister had hired to pick the kids up from school and wait with them until Jaime got home. Theresa was an older woman of mixed Latino and Irish heritage. Her cooking was the best Jaime had ever tasted and he always had the feeling around her of being mothered. Theresa smiled warmly at Jaime as he arrived home and promised their homework had been done and the housework chores completed and dinner was nearly ready.

 

Jaime grinned at the thought of dinner and walked her out to her car. Doubtless his father paid the woman well enough, but Jaime always loved the warm, happy feeling he had around her. He thanked her for her work and watched as she drove into the street. There was a chill in the air out here tonight, a few glistening stars could just be made out through the sallow tinge of streetlights and Jaime had a feeling it was going to get colder still in the next few weeks. The seasons were changing, winter was coming.

 

He went inside and closed the door, pausing by the cupboard in the hallway as he wondered if the children had winter coats and scarves or if he needed to go buy some. Oddly, he’d never had to worry about their clothes before.

 

“Alright, kids, dinner!”

 

Myrcella and Tommen came charging down the stairs, arguing about something on Minecraft. Having never played the game, Jaime had little idea what it was about but Tommen seemed to like nothing more than building empires on the thing.

 

“Tommen, please lay the table. We’ll be having a guest tonight so you’ll need to set an extra place. Myrcella, why don’t you fix drinks for us all?”

 

“Can I have some wine?”

 

“You can have a small glass of water with some wine in it,” Jamie said by way of compromise.

 

Myrcella straightened, as if she was physically growing up in front of him. “Thanks, Dad.”

 

“And we’re back to Dad,” Jaime muttered to himself with a smile.

 

“Uncle Jaime,” Tommen spoke, “Who’s coming for dinner?”

 

“A friend.”

 

“Is is Uncle Addam?”

 

“No, it isn’t Uncle Addam.”

 

“Dad, who’s coming for dinner,” Tommen asked again. He blinked innocently up at his father.

 

Jaime chuckled and reached out to mess Tommen’s hair. “You only going to call me Dad when you want something? Her name is Brienne and she’s going to be making sure we’re all nice and safe, that’s all.”

 

Myrcella interrupted, “Grandfather says you’re not supposed to eat with the staff. It gives them ideas above their station.”

 

“Well Brienne and I served together and I was her commanding officer and we ate together all the time, so you let me worry about Grandfather and lets have a nice night, ok?” Jaime kneeled down and peered into the oven. The time said five minutes and it smelled amazing. There were mashed potatoes and green vegetables waiting on top of the cooker and the warm plates were already waiting.

 

A few feet away Tommen was slowly counting out cutlery. “One…two…three…four.” Tommen picked up the pile of forks and took them over to the table. While they’d lived with their mother they’d never lifted a finger to look after themselves. He was still trying to introduce the concept of a laundry basket to Myrcella.

 

“Dad, what does Brienne look like?” Tommen asked.

 

Tommen calling him Dad was new, and probably becauase of his sister. Jaime wanted to talk to his son about it but if he put the boy on the spot he would likely stop talking and be too shy to speak for the rest of the night.

 

“Brienne is tall, with blonde hair.”

 

Tommen started giggling. “As tall as you?”

 

“Taller than me…and she’s brave, too.” Slowly Jaime kneeled down to his son’s level. “Do you remember when I was away and didn’t come home for a long time.”

 

“The bad people had you.”

 

“That’s right. Well Brienne helped me get away from the bad people and bring me home,” Jaime looked in Tommen’s eye. “She helped save my life.”

 

“Uncle Jaime?”

 

“Yes, Tommen.”

 

“Does she know that you’re our Dad as well as Uncle Jaime?”

 

“Yes, Tommen,” Jaime reached out and ruffled his hair. “Brienne knows.”

 

Tommen’s face was worried as he adjusted the cutlery and the place mats and then readjusted them, firing worried stares at Jaime and the door.

 

Jaime sighed and wondered what else he could say when the timer went off. He was elbows deep in oven glove removing the cobbler from the oven when the doorbell rang.

 

Myrcella was there instantly and Jaime wasn’t far behind. Myrcella stepped to the side as Jaime opened the door and greeted Brienne with a kiss on the cheek and a familiar arm round her waist.

 

“Hi,” Jaime grinned.

 

Brienne narrowed her eyes at Jaime. He could be quite the charmer when he wanted to be, as if the the obscenely good looks he had inherited weren’t enough. However, this was essentially a work dinner. Brienne needed to get to know her charges and the home where they lived and she had no intention of being distracted. “Good evening, Jaime,” Brienne greeted him in a formal tone of voice.

 

Jaime sighed and rolled his eyes. “Brienne, we’re at home. Relax.”

 

Brienne wanted to retort, but her eyes caught sight of the young woman standing behind Jaime and slightly to the side. He tilted his head in Myrcella’s direction and Brienne relented. “Of course,” She forced a smile onto her face.

 

“I’d like to introduce you to my daughter. Brienne, this is Myrcella. Myrcella, this is Brienne Tarth.”

 

“You served with Dad?”

 

“I did.” Brienne stood awkwardly. Still too tall and too self-conscious after all these years. Give her a fitness test, small arms and a mission and she’s pummel all comers into the ground. Give her a room of people and she’d blush and make her excuses and stumble over her words and her wine. She looked around. In the kitchen doorway stood a small boy, half hiding, peering out at the strange woman who had come to visit them.

 

“And over there is my son, Tommen.”

 

Brienne nodded and smiled. “Hello, Tommen.”

 

A cat mewled and Tommen disappeared to pick it up.

 

“He’s shy,” Jaime explained.

 

“That’s understandable. You’ve had a lot to deal with. How long do we have until dinner?”

 

“Ten minutes?” Jaime guessed. “Maybe Myrcella could show you around?”

 

“But Dad,” Myrcella spoke up, “Don’t you need me to come and help in the kitchen.”

 

“I can manage.”

 

“But-” Myrcella started and then stopped as Brienne cleared her throat.

 

“If your father wants to show off his ability to reheat a prepared meal without burning the kitchen down, far be it for us to stop him, Myrcella.”

 

Myrcella bit her lip but a little giggle slipped out. Jaime frowned at Brienne, eager to protest her jape but her lip was tugging into a small smile and his heart softened. Jaime had spent long hours teasing and riling her when they served together but she had learned from the best. “Alright, I won’t deny Theresa is an excellent cook. Brienne, Myrcella can give you the ten cent tour and if I need help I’ll make do with Tommen.”

 

“On second thoughts,” Myrcella stepped towards the kitchen but Jaime caught her by the shoulder and turned her around.

 

“We’ll be fine,” Jaime insisted.

 

Jaime watched Myrcella and Brienne disappear. His daughter seemed happy enough with Brienne’s visit, and he hoped things stayed that way. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, Brienne was supposed to look after their security but at the same time she would need to have a close relationship with the family to do her job. Jaime hadn’t realised how much he missed her until tonight, seeing her on his doorstep dressed in a casual white button-up blouse and jeans that went on forever. Jaime had rarely seen her in anything but a uniform and he had to admit she looked spectacular. Did they even make womens jeans that long? He wondered if she was tall enough to fuck standing up and then put the thought out of his head. Brienne had a job to do and she did not need an old guy like him drooling all over her.

 

In the kitchen, Tommen hid behind his beloved Ser Ponce who seemed happier than most cats would be at being manhandled by a small child. “Uncle Jaime?”

 

“Yes, Tommen.”

 

Whatever he was going to say the boy seemed to think the better of it for he stared at Jaime for a moment, then shrugged and turned away. “Nothing.”

 

“Alright,” Jaime considered his son for a long moment as he made sure Ser Ponce had plenty of food and water and a toy to play with while they all ate dinner. Jaime lifted the food out of the oven and by the time Brienne and Myrcella returned in ten minutes they were ready to eat.

 

Jaime could tell by Brienne’s eyes that in a few minutes she had picked the place apart. It was nothing that he hadn’t picked out himself. The ground floor windows could do with a security upgrade, they needed motion sensors on the roof of the back porch and security lights at the side alley between the front and the back of the house. But Jaime didn’t want his kids to live in a fortress and he thought it wasn’t a bad place to start. After seeing his work and his home, doubtless Brienne would next want to start on their respective schedules, but Brienne was here for another reason. If Brienne Tarth was going to be in charge of his family’s safety, Jaime wanted her to get to know his family.

 

Myrcella and Tommen sat either side of him with Brienne opposite Jaime at the other side of the kitchen table. The middle of the table held the food Theresa had prepared that Jaime had managed to finish off according to her instructions. Myrcella asked polite questions about Brienne’s work and included the odd embarrassing tale about her father, which almost had Jaime blushing. Tommen was quieter and watched the meal carefully, picking at his dinner and watching the interplay of his sister and the two adults. In truth, Myrcella and Jaime between them did most of the talking. As they rounded off dessert Tommen began to yawn and Jaime looked at the clock. It was nearly Tommen’s bed time.

 

“Alright, Tommen, time for pyjamas.”

 

“But-”

 

“Go and put on your pyjamas and brush your teeth. I’ll read you a story and then, bed. Myrcella won’t be far behind you.”

 

“What?” Myrcella exclaimed.

 

Jaime stared pointedly at his daughter until she relented with a heavy sigh and crossed arms. “You are so unfair.” Myrcella grumbled, but there was no malace behind it.

 

While Jaime excused himself to help Tommen into his pyjamas, Brienne suggested she and Myrcella help with the dishes. They cleared the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and tidied up after dinner.

 

“What do your family do?”

 

“I don’t have much family. Just my father, who lives on Tarth.”

 

“Do you think it’s weird, about Dad?” Myrcella asked carefully.

 

Brienne paused, choosing her words carefully. “Your father told me once we can’t choose who we love. Your father loved your mother, I know that much. It’s not my place to judge, Myrcella. I also know what it’s like to be teased and picked on because of something you have no control over. I’m not sure if that’s the answer you were looking for but it’s the only answer I have. I was asked by your grandfather to do a job, to keep you and Jaime and Tommen safe and I intend to do that to the best of my ability.” Brienne felt eyes on her and looked up. Jaime was standing in the doorway, Tommen at his side wearing his pyjamas and clutching a soft toy. Jaime’s stump nudged the hair on Tommen’s head.

 

“Did she tell you she was the best close-combat fighter in the unit?”

 

“No,” Myrcella shrugged.

 

“Brienne could beat anyone, hands down.”

 

“Could she beat you?” Tommen asked curiously, looking up at his father.

 

Jaime grinned at Brienne, “In a heartbeat,” He said and then lifted his stump to point at Tommen more generally. “This one wants a story,” Jaime told her.

 

“Ok, well, I should probably let you get on with bed time, then. I need to head home soon anyway.” To Brienne’s surprise, Tommen stepped forwards and took hold of one of Brienne’s hands. He began dragging her in the direction of the stairs. Wide eyes flew in Jaime’s direction but he just stood there, smirking and shrugged casually as if this happened with all visitors.

 

“You wouldn’t break a little kid’s heart by denying him a bed time story now, would you?” Jaime prodded at Brienne. The grin on his face was entirely too smug. Myrcella disappeared off to message her friends before her own bed time leaving Brienne to Tommen’s devices. Jaime was no help at all, hovering in the background with that damnable smirk of his.

 

Tommen dragged Brienne to his bedroom and pressed a book into her hands. “This one,” He told her, before climbing into bed and settled down, clutching his lion soft toy. Ser Ponce bounded up the stairs from the kitchen, mewling for Tommen and curled up on the bed at his feet, looking for all the world like he was ready for a bed time story as well.

 

Brienne looked like a fish out of water, which Jaime was enjoying entirely too much. By the time Tommen was asleep and Myrcella was at least in her room, Jaime thought it safe to walk Brienne back out to her car.

 

“Well,” Jaime paused, “The kids like you.”

 

“Is that a good thing?”

 

“I’d say so,” Jaime shrugged.

 

They came to a stop beside Brienne’s car. “So, security, huh?”

 

“So, family business?” Brienne retorted.

 

Jaime smiled. “Touche. And now you’ve seen the house, let me guess: ground floor windows, back porch, motion sensors, light in the side alley.”

 

“And camera,” Brienne added.

 

“I don’t want my kids feeling like they’re living under close observation all the time. They got enough of that with their mother. They’re already the only children in their class with a personal security team.”

 

“They’re Lannisters,” Brienne pointed out. “And they attend the best private school in the city. Alright, we can skip cameras for now, although I think you should at the very least consider cameras over the front and rear entrances. The fence.”

 

“I’ve got contractors coming next week to replace the fence with a wall and install security gates at the front. If you really think a camera could help I can get them to install a camera at the same time they put in the new gate on the drive.”

 

“Let me know when they get here and I’ll talk to them,” Brienne requested.

 

Jaime nodded. “Are we dealing with a specific threat here?”

 

“Not at the moment. The usual – someone slighted in the past, anyone who feels they could extort some money by kidnapping a wealthy child and ransoming them to their family.”

 

“They’ll never have a normal life, will they?”

 

Brienne moved to open her car door. “They have a father who loves them, they have each other, they’ll want for nothing.”

 

“They’ll want  for company,” Jaime said quietly, his eyes boring deeply into Brienne’s.

 

Brienne stopped, her back to the open driver’s side door. “We all want for company, sometimes, Jaime.”

 

Jaime stared at her, breathing deeply. He could feel his heart pound in his chest. Damn but she looked good. All six foot three of her, her shapely hips beneath her jeans, her freckled skin, even the scars that reminded him of what they’d endured together. There was a new one now, on her cheek. Jaime was sure she would tell him how that came about in time. He took a step closer, standing just inside Brienne’s personal space. His eyes fell to her lips. He could see the way her eyes widened, she stood there like a doe in a car’s headlights. “Would it be unprofessional…?”

 

“Yes,” Brienne said firmly.

 

Jaime leaned in slowly and pecked her on the cheek, instead of the lips. He rested his left hand on her arm, instead of her waist. Held his hips away instead of pressing his half-hard erection into her thigh. “Goodnight, Brienne.”

 

Brienne held herself still, waiting until he pulled back to meet his eyes once more. “Good night, Jaime.”

 

They stared at each other for a moment longer before Jaime forced himself to step back, holding the door open as Brienne lowered herself into the driver’s seat. With one last glance Jaime closed the door and tapped the top of her roof twice.

 

As Brienne pulled away, she watched in the rear view mirror as she drove down the street.

 

Colonel Jaime Lannister stood on the pavement, staring after her car until she was out of sight.

 

~


End file.
